Lithuania Medal 1905 for the 20th Anniversary of the Great Congress of Vilnius. Circular bronze meda...

Lithuania Medal 1905 for the 20th Anniversary of the Great Congress of Vilnius. Circular bronze medal in heavy relief with ring for ribbon suspension; the face with the figure of independent Lithuania holding the flag of Vytis in her right hand; her left arm resting on a shield bearing the patriarchal cross of Lithuania and inscribed ‘L.S.S.’ (Lietuvos Šaulių Sąjunga = Lithuanian National Guard); the date ‘1925’ above; a broken chain of slavery and a lion denoting strength at her feet; the reverse with the city of Vilnuis; the Hill of Gediminas in the background; inscribed ‘DIDYSIS VILNIAUS SEIMAS' (The Great Congress of Vilnius); the date ‘1905’ and an eternal flame below; all within an oak wreath and circumscribed with words from the Lithuanian national anthem: ‘IS PRAEITIES TAVE SUNUS TE STUORTBE SEMIA’ (May your sons draw strength from the past); on replaced correct ribbon. The medal was created in 1925 in a now independent Lithuania to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the congress. Following the attempted Russian Revolution of 1905; a great congress of more than 2000 delegates was held in Vilnius on 21 and 22 November of that year. Chaired by Jonas Basanavičius; it passed anti-Czarist resolutions and declared in favour of autonomy for Lithuania within a Russian Republican Federation and the primacy of Lithuanian cultural and language within the country. Its members and its activities were soon suppressed by the Russian government. The medal was designed by Petras Rimša (1881-1961); widely acknowledged as one of Lithuania’s foremost sculptors and medallists; and manufactured by Huguenin Frères of Le Locle in Switzerland. It is rare. Brass. 35mm. 19.68g.